The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1887-04-27
nrHE FINEST IN THE LAND
Full Description of the Finest and costliest
Home in Montana.

E1VmS IN HuoutAHh-
About a year ago the CHRONICLE gave
q meagre description of the stately resi-
dence Just begun for Nelson Story, Esq,
of Bozeman. Since then almost every
article has been purchased for the ele-
giant building, and the house is about
half completed. Then it was believed
that the house would cost about 100000,
but now an examination will readily
show these figures to be much too low.
100000 will be much nearer when the
door lock is turned next fall. We
have no fear of being contradicted when
we say that the Story residence will be
finest and costliest in Montana. The
finest residences in Helena are in no way
rivals in beauty, strength or cost. Stu
ated as it is upon raised site overlook.
ing the town and valley, it will be
pleasing addition to the city of Bozeman.
On Wednesday last. in company with
Mr.. Vreeland, the architect, who will per-
sonally superintend the work this sum.
mer, a CHRONICLE representative went
through the house from cellar to attic.
the whole having been enclosed before
winter. In the cellar the massive stone
walls suggest the cloisters of a monastery
the outer and'sub-division walls being of
enormous thickness. Up stairs the 49,
incl, brick walls divide every apartment
and with the windows boarded up this
had the appearance of a citadel or castle
of early times.
Mr.. story's original conception of the
house was characteristic of the man, bold
striking and enduring, and in selecting
the material the same characteristic was
observable and strictly adhered to, ex-
cept where he was prevented by inability
to obtain what was required. Only once
was he compelled to change the original
plans-in the selection of materials for
cornices and dormer window finish for
exterior. In the original plans this work
was to be of native sandstone, and would
have been could workmen have been
secured to execute the work in such ma
terial, but this being impossible the only
article available, in preference to cheap
er and slighter construction, which CO.
incided with Mr.. Story's idea of durabil-
ity was copper, from which the cornices
were made by the best and most practi-
cable workmen.
No architect was employed until Mr..
Story had completed the foundations;
when all his ideas were emboeied in the
plan as carried QUITO completion; and all
ideas when submitted to him had to bear
the test of his original conception, COM
prising establishment to detail, so that
the building when completed will en-
body all the practical points artistically
of modern architecture, combined with
Mr.. Story's practical aims.
The extreme dimensions of the build
ing are 54xl03 feet, arranged as follows:
Basement, including space under whole
house, is divided into boiler room, laun-
dry, drying room, fuel rooms, vegetable
and general store rooms.
First floor, entered from front open yes.
tibule and hall, from which as you enter,
right and left open respectively the dou-
BILE parlors, finished in cherry, which can
be thrown into hall by folding doors;
opposite which are the library, drawing-
room and bedroom with same elaborate
finish except woods, which are to be of
black walnut and maple. The hall and
vestibule are to be of quarter-sawed oak,
antique finish. Dimensions of rooms
Hall, 12x54; parlors, 1sx2l; library and
bedroom, 15x1s; bath rooms, 8x9; din
ing room, 15x21; pantry and butler's pam
try, 6xs; kitchen. 12xl8. Second story
two suits of rooms sitting rooms and
bedrooms finished in maple and walnut
with bath rooms and closets, respectively
15xls and 6x9.
Including the finish of the parlors will
be open CRATES and mantles. The man.
ties are from designs originally submitted
in competition at the Minnesota state
fair, obtaining first prize. They were
manufactured by Corleis, Chapman and
Drake of st. Paul, who furnished the
wood work for the building, consisting of
frames, sash, doors, finished stair work
and inside shutters, all of which were
from original drawings by the architect,
Mr.. Byron Vreeland.